The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1887-01-26

took an active interest IL the passage Of the
Citadel and College appropriations. which
were, however. not opposed by mem bers
who are interested in tho farmers movement.
Referring to the agricultural bureau bill DR..
Tindal said:
Il think the Senate made mistake in
postponing the bill. l.: is not my purpose
nor my desire to impugn the motives OF
those Senators who fought the bill, but l
shall simply give you, as You ask 1t, some
thing in reply to the argument of those who
effected its postpouement. The reasons
that were advanced against the bill will not
bear the light Of investigation, and, IN my
opinion. the Senate will agree to the meas.
ure at the next session. Let me say at the
outset that, as you will remember, l with
drew the first bill introduced looking to the
establishment Of an agricultural college, and
I dad so for the reason that, il my opinion
the State cannot well afford it at this time.
When the State House is completed, we can
then, without increasing the taxes, under
take the building Of such College as is
needed. The annual appropriations now
made for the work on the State House will
be sufficient to build, equip, and start the
agricultural college. Hence, / sought only
to have the Legislature'furnished with such
information on the subject of agricultural
colleges as would enable them to act intelli-
gently when the time came for its establish.
ment.
ITO return, however, to the bill to reor-
ganize the agricultural bureau. AS stated
on the floor of the House, the purpose Of the
bill was not intended to cast any reflection
upon the management of the department IN
the past. One OF toe objections urged against
the bill in the Senate was that it was, IN ef-
feet, class legislation. This will not hold
water. In electiug judge, is not the selec-
ton made from the lawyers? In organizing
the board of health. are not doctors selected:
1t IS therefore, simple common-sense legls-
lation to select agriculturalists to manage
department which is avowedly created for
the benefit of the agricultural interests OF
the State.
again, it was urged in the Senate-for
YOU will remember that there was no oppo-
sition in the House-that there would be
too many eS cifcio members of the board un-
der the proposed reorganization. To this
the answer is simple Aeuough: We simply
seek to place the board at the head of the
farmers movement, as it is called. It is ad-
nitted that there must be organization and
concert Of action among the farmers of the
State if they expect to better their condition.
Mind, do not mean their political condi-
ton, but their actual material condition.
Now, if there is to be such an association,
what better head could it lave than board
established, supported and recognized bv
the State, in view of the paramount import
ance of fostering, and caring for its agricul-
s,{a Ic yrh
the farmers meet once year a board organ
lied as this to promote agriculture will real
ly benefit them. They would be enhghten-
ed by the board and by the interchange Of
views and experiences Of the members
would give fresh ideas, suggest new thoughts
and subjects and thus help out the board in
the very work for which it was created-the
development and perfection of the agricul-
ture of the State. In addition to this the re-
organization will effect very desirable OBJ
ject-it will b-ing the members of the board
closer to the people and make them better
acquainted with their wants"
1T has been suggested, interposed the
interviewer, that the farmers movement
had political significance.
II know that" replied Dr.. Tindal, but
the answer to that suggestion is obvious.
The passage of this bill would at once elm
mate politics entirely from the farmers
movement, if there ever was any politics IN
it. If. as we ask in this bill, the agricultur-
al board is placed at the head Of the farmers
movement, there can be no politics In it.
The farmers association would have at its
head board selected by the Legislature and
confined by law in its deliberations solely
to questions connected with the agricultural
interests Of the State Why the bill Itself
would necessarily eliminate politics from
the farmers movement by making it one of
the departments of the State Government. "
You said that thereSwas no intention to
cast any rejection upon the past manage.
ment of the board p
Yes said SO, and repeat it. What we
sought to accomplish by this bill was to dl.
rect the energies Of the board IN new and
what to many Of US seems smore practical
and profitable channel. We want to take
charge Of the agricultural education of the
people; to develop our agricultural resources
by combining our intelligence at home and
not by looking to immigration from abroad
to help US allude now to the efforts Of
the bureau in the past to encourage<immi-
grafton by advertising our advantages, our
resources and our mineral and other wealth.
What mean is this: admit the desirabili-
ty of having capital to come to our State, but
capital is shy and as general thing level
headed. Capital cannot be induced to come
here by hand-books alone. If you show to
the world that our people ere successful in
their own affairs that our farmers are max
ing money at their business, capital and
Immigrants will be convinced Of the fertili-
ty of our soil and the advantages of our eli
mate, and will come very quickly. This we
claim, can be accomplished by the education
of the farmers, and this, we think, can be
secured by the reorganization Of the bureau
on the plan indicated in the bill in question.
The plan of organization, too, is not new.
The benefits of farmers institutes to an agri-
cultural community are too well established
to be doubted now The first requisite to
the improvement of agriculture is to organ
ize the farmers In the New England States
the farmers county clubs elect the board Of
directors Of the agricultural bureau, and
these directors elect the secretary, who is
virtually the commissioner of agriculture.
There can be no conflict of opinion, no clash
of authority here. need not 60 over the
questions that have arisen IN our depart
ment of agriculture under the present sys-
tenn. The Legislature elects the commission
er, and it elso elects the members Of the
board. Suppose there is, as there has been,
a difference of opinion on very material
points between the board and the commis-
sioner, how can it be settled?,
DR.. Tindal spoke at length on this point,
giving many reasons for the reorganization